


Strange Winters: Heroes Fall

by AgentLintaBale



Series: Kyra Rogers of Asgard, Queen of Alynia [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. References, F/M, Kyra and Tony are close friends, Kyra shadows dr. strange, Tony Stark is off the map, crossover im3 and winter soldier and dr strange, nat and bucky have a past, sharon is cool, steve and sharon have a baby, steve helps nat find a date
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2020-12-27 11:29:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21118055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentLintaBale/pseuds/AgentLintaBale
Summary: Sequel to Daddy's Little Hel:After spending some time on Asgard with her family, Kiera Rogers is back on Earth as the redefined Kyra. Having taken magic lessons on Asgard, she's looking to pursue medicine on her time on earth. Why not study the one organ that's bothered her family most? Braaaaiinns!Best friend Tony Stark gets her to med school and even sets her up with an internship with top Neurosurgeon Stephen Strange. But when exploding humans and terrorists show up on his radar, Tony disappears.Meanwhile, big brother Steve Rogers has a tiny surprise for her as he is about to learn just how hard it is to come to terms with your past and unravels a secret that will impact all of their lives





	1. Prologue

"Is she ready?"

"She's getting there. She needs more time."

"More _time_? She has _you _for a teacher, Frigga, even Heimdall. What more could she need?"

"Father, she is young. She hasn't had the benefit of being on Asgard since birth."

"That may be so, but she is also our only hope of survival, yet she cannot pass school! Her failure will be the death of us all."

The Bifrost keeper regretted not being at his post, for at this moment-as he knew would happen- someone was using it without permission. Yet not _once_ did he find it necessary to mention.

"Be GENTLE, father. At least with my daughter. I have learned from your mistakes as a father, and I will _not_ burden my daughter with expectations as you did with me. We all know how that went. She will learn on her own, you'll just have to trust her."

It was a cool summer day in Washington D.C., not a cloud in the sky. The woman watched her boyfriend get in his car, heading out to the National Park for his morning run. As he sped away, she turned back into the house, just missing the rainbow that crashed somewhere nearby.


	2. 1. Surprise! Welcome home

Hey baby! There ain't no easy way out!   
I won't back down  
Hey, I will stand my ground.  
And I won't back down  
No, I won't back down.

Tom Petty was fading out as Steve Rogers ran up the bend. He'd only turned his attention for a second toward the smartwatch on his wrist when he went running straight into the person in front of him and they toppled to the ground all tangled. Steve positioned himself so he could take on most of the impact, the girl ended up on top of him.

"You alright ma'am?" Steve asked the girl on top of him.

"I'll be fine," a familiar voice said all breathless, "but you should probably stick to the left." Kiera Rogers joked to her brother.

Steve laughed and threw his head back, waiting his turn as Kiera got off him. She offered a hand to lift him up.

"Welcome back, stranger," he said and tugged her into a hug.

Kiera took a minute to let go.

"It's been so long!"

"Five years is it? Four?"

"It's much longer on Asgard."

"You're 23 now, by my account." He pulled her away and held her at arms length.

"Yup. Yeah, let's go with that." She agreed and started walking a direction. "So what's up these days?"

"Well, I took work with SHIELD. The gym's kind of on a back burner. I hired staff for it, check in at least once a month."

"Captain America's gym! Must be busy!"

"Yeah, popular especially with people thinking to enlist. Honest money."

"And... our flat's still there?"

"Absolutely! We extended laterally. Bought the next door space for the gym. It's going good." He casually shrugged as they came up to his ride, which Kiera was expecting to be a bike.

"Apparently! You got a car?!" Kiera exclaimed as Steve unlocked it.

"Yeah. Helps get from my house to work." Steve told her as he got in. Kiera slid into the passenger seat.

"You... you got a house?"

Steve shook his head, like buying a house was the least thing he did.

"That I did. What's new with you?"

"Oh a lot! But mainly I'm not Kiera anymore."

"You're not? So what do we call you, your highness?" Steve teased.

"Hang on to your seat, it's gonna blow your mind."

Steve chuckled at her theatrics.

"Say hello, to Kyra Rogers."

Steve exploded his hand next to his head.

"Why the change?"

"Well, grandpa asked what I wanted to be called, so given the option, I combined my two names. Kiera and Eira, became Kyra. And it's an actual name, so it works!"

"I got it." Steve nodded as he pulled up on the driveway of a suburban home.

He turned off the car and had already gotten his running bag out from the back before Kyra got out.

"So, just you in this big ole house?" She cautiously asked while stuffing her hands in her pockets. 

Steve smirked at her.

"Let's find out." He winked and led the way in.

Curiosity peaked, Kyra impatiently followed her brother to the front door. He took his time with the key, making her more restless, but he got it open eventually.

"We're home!" Steve announced from the foyer.

"In the kitchen!" A female voice replied which Kyra surmised belonged Sharon.

Steve lead her through the house as Kyra looked at the couple's pictures mounted on the wall.

"Hey doll," Steve said as he kissed his girlfriend.

"Hey hon! Who's _we_?" Sharon asked as she simultaneously made food and prepped weapons.

"Have a look," Steve directed her and Sharon saw Kyra standing in the doorway.

"Oh my God! Kiera!" Sharon exclaimed and dropped everything to come great her. "Welcome home!"

"Actually, it's Kyra now." Steve informed as he popped a cherry tomato.

Sharon held her at arms length and twisted her lips. "Hmm makes sense."

Being the only one super excited, Cap's girlfriend made a weird face as she went back to her boyfriend.

"Oh Steve. I don't think you've told her." Sharon said as she wrapped her arms around his waist, mischief dancing in her eyes. Steve kissed her head.

Kyra watched them awkwardly. "Told me what?"

Steve held his girlfriend and nodded to the stairs behind Kyra. "Down the stairs. Second door to your left."

Kyra didn't wait for further instructions and rushed down the stairs, leaving Sharon calling after her.

"Don't go too fast! You might scare... him." She giggled at her "sister in law"'s antics then turned back to her boyfriend. "You go on," she stole a kiss. "I gotta wrap up here."

Steve headed down the stairs just as Kyra began to let out a yelp. Steve knowingly smiled as he skipped down some steps, arriving just as Kyra stumbled out of the second room on the left.

"Wh... who?! WHAT?! When did this... why didn't you tell me?!" Kyra punched her brother, the super soldier, in the chest as he leaned outside the door.

"Well, Asgard doesn't have the best reception. And we wanted to surprise you when you got here."

"Well color me surprised. Steve!" Kyra happily cried and reached her brother for a hug.

"Go on in, wake him up!" Steve shrugged her towards the room.

"Won't he be scared waking up to a stranger?"

"Aww, you're not a stranger! You're auntie!"

The decision was made when a cry came from within.

"Alright, I guess I'll get him." Steve sighed and went in, turning the light on in the nursery.

"Mornin' bud," Steve cooed as he made his way to the little boy in the crib rubbing his eyes against the light.

"Da!" The baby whimpered, reaching his arms out.

"I'm here, bud." Steve cajoled and scooped up his son into his arms, rubbing a hand over his back.

"Oh. Em. Gee!" Kyra whispered behind them.

Steve smiled at his sister's excitement and brought his son over for introductions.

"Hey buddy! You recognize her?" Steve asked his kid, turning down his shoulder so the boy could look at her.

"Hi babyyy!" Kyra cooed at the baby, who was sucking his thumb. "I'm your aunt Kiera! What's your name?"

"Auntie Keke, say hello to James Anthony Carter Rogers."

"Aww! That's too cute! Cutest name for the cutest baby! You wanna come to me?" Kyra asked as she held out her hands, but James switched shoulders, turning her away.

"James!" His father scolded. "That's not nice!"

Kyra threw up her hands. "You know what, I'm gonna let it go this one time, since he just got up. But later me and him are gonna catch up two years worth!"

Steve laughed and kissed James' head.

"Um, _daddy-o, _do I get a room here?"

Steve nodded back up the stairs. "Upstairs. Sharon'll tell you. I'm gonna get him washed up."

"Sure thing!" Kyra kissed baby James's hand, which was holding on to his daddy's shirt, then she raced back up.

"How'd you like the surprise, auntie Keke?"

"Best. Surprise. Ever." Kyra squealed as she ambushed Sharon from behind. "I'm still mad at you guys for not telling me before!"

"We can make it up with dinner out tomorrow?"

"Sounds nice! By the way, my room..."

"Pass the bathroom last door in the hall." Sharon nodded down the corridor. "We're gonna be heading out soon, so you'll have the place. Fridge's stocked, linen closet's there..."

"I got it, mama." Kyra teased and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry, I'll be passed out most of the day. Bifrost traveling is a road trip in a second.

"Alrighty, why don't you go on settle in."

Kyra walked down the corridor to the last room, and opened the door to find it lit with natural light. There was a sliding window at one side of the room, opening into the backyard. Aw, her big brother had remembered how fond she was of the sky. Kyra walked to the closet on the other side of the room, and magically filled it with her choice of clothes. She'd just sat on the bed when she heard talking from outside and left to join her brother's family.

"Someone's looking handsome!" Kyra cooed as she walked up to her freshly washed nephew, sitting on his highchair with a messy face.

"Daddy! Keke!" James called out as he pointed his Cheerio holding fist at her. Kyra grabbed hand and waved it excitedly.

"Yes it is! Yes I am!" Keke babied.

"So where's everyone's going"

"James here is going to daycare with the neighbor's kids. And Steve and I will be going to work."

Kyra eyed her brother and he understood her unease. Steve wiped James' face clean and took him out of his seat to give to Kyra. This time, the baby was eager to go to her.

"What's _your _plan?"

"I am going to be sleeping all day long. You know how that is," she spoke to her nephew, "did a bit of pitstops on my way here. I'm told we're going to dinner tomorrow?" Kyra and James looked to Sharon.

"Yes ma'am." She said before there was a knock on the kitchen window.

"Looks like James's ride is here." Steve said and Kyra reluctantly let the boy go to his dad. Captain America took his son out to the backyard, presumably to hand over to the neighbors, and came back in alone.

"We're gonna be late too, babe." Sharon called as he gathered her things.

"You gonna be okay home alone?" Steve asked for reassurance one more time.

"Unless I roll off the bed. I'll be fine. Go to work." Kyra shoved her brother towards the door.

They exchanged goodbyes at the door and Kyra waved them off as the other two took off.

"Goodbye!"

"We're home!" Steve called out into his home as he closed the door behind his girlfriend.

Sharon took their sleeping son down to his room and Steve went down the hall to check on his sister. Kyra was unceremoniously passed out, blanket half covering her waist. Steve chuckled amused and went in to fix the blanket over her properly, taking the tv remote from her as he tucked her in.

"Welcome home, kiddo."


	3. 2. Schooled

"...she's pissed beyond anything and comes running! She's almost got him but I cut in and freeze blast her and I say: girl, take a chill pill!"

Steve and Sharon laughed as Kyra told them stories of her time on Asgard. They took a sip of their wines and the mood sombered a bit.

"So..." Kyra clicked her tongue, "we're working with S.H.I.E.L.D now?" She asked, taking a drink again.

Steve sighed and leaned forward, resting his folded hands on the table.

"Not _we, _just me. And it's still on my terms." He nodded to Sharon with a confirming look.

"Right. Anyway, what's _your_ plan? How long are you staying for? Etc etc?" Sharon changed the subject.

"Mm. I don't know. I was thinking of dropping by the gym this week. Catch up with Lindsay."

"That's great and all, but I think she meant long term."

"Oh, huh." Kyra thought, fiddling with her food. "I've been thinking. I mean, we don't have to do it right _away..."_

"Cat..." Steve pried.

"I've been thinking of college." Kyra revealed with an exhaust.

"College! Wow, that's great!" Sharon opinionated. "Good for you. Anything you're interested in? A major in maybe, I don't know, _history?"_

"Hahaha. No, _me want braaainns._"

Steve and Sharon shared a stare. "Excuse me?"

"Brains!" Kyra corrected them. "I'm interested in neuroscience. It's a concept close to my... heart. Heh. What with you, and dad."

"That sounds _very _cool. I can see it," Sharon fixed an imaginary collar, swinging a stethoscope around her neck. "Doctor Kyra Rogers."

"We should go see Tony. He'll know where to go. Or who to see."

"And how _is _our neighborhood Ironman? Don't get much feed up in Asgard."

The three stayed till dessert and Steve paid in cash before they left the restaurant. The car ride was Steve and Sharon's turn to fill her in what she'd missed on Earth. They told her about the interesting cases they'd been on what the other avengers had been on. When the car parked on their driveway, Kyra was the first one out, running down to check on her nephew. She squatted next to the crib, holding onto the bars as she watched little James sleeping on his back, head turned to the side.

Upstairs, Steve and Sharon had finally come in, paying the neighbor's daughter her babysitting fair before she went on home and the couple joined Kyra downstairs. Steve leaned against the doorframe, sighing in content of his life as his girlfriend wrapped her arms around him, leaning against his chest.

The moment was broken by James's cry. Kyra quickly jumped back, feel guilty for disturbing him.

"It's not your fault," Sharon said with a hand on Kyra's shoulder before she went to pick up her son. "He just needs a midnight snack." She kissed James's head while he still cried and said goodnight to the siblings as she took the baby to her room.

Kyra and Steve slowly made their way up to her room. She pulled back the blinds on here window, disappointed by the light pollution blocking her view of the stars. Steve watched her put a hand on the window, and a minute later all the lights outside dimmed, making the stars shine bright.

"You're getting a hang of your powers." Steve stated as he sat on the bed.

"I would _hope _so! They've been schooling me since I went up." Kyra joked and having her fill of the view, joined him.

"Well I suppose you had a lot to catch up on."

"Yeah," Kyra simply said. _That's not the half of it._ "I'm gonna go change then we can watch that movie you were talking about."

"Mission Impossible?"

"Yeah. Number 375 was it?"

"Haha. Just the fifth one."

"Great. I'll meet you out." Kyra left him to go change into her night clothes and Steve went to his room as well, meeting his little sister in the family room all set for movie night.

The next morning, Steve gave her pocket money to go see Lindsay and the gym, and promised to talk to Tony about her college. The morning followed the same routine, they all had breakfast together and Kyra played with James before his ride came to pick him up.

Not many people beyond the avengers knew of James; Steve hadn't even registered the house with SHIELD. Steve and Sharon were more than capable of taking care of themselves, and they took all the steps possible to keep their son safe. James's morning backyard transport protected him from unwanted eyes.

Steve and Sharon took the car to work and Kyra took the bike to go visit her old neighborhood. Steve had kept her old helmet and purple was still her favorite color thankfully, matching the accents of her biker jacket. It took her 30 minutes on bike to reach the gym, exhaling in tired relief as she parked the vehicle in its designated spot. Kyra kept the helmet on as she went inside the gym.

Damn it was busy, even in the middle of the week. The space had grown and updated, making her wonder how much money her big brother actually had. Couldn't be all his, as she noticed gadgets from Stark.

"Hi there, I'm Pace."

Kyra turned to see her best friend's older brother, showing off his muscles in a sleeveless black top with the gym's logo on the breast.

"I'm the lead trainer today." He shook her hand, oblivious to who was underneath the helmet.

"What're you in for? We have services..." Pacey rattled on, listing all the new classes and services the gym now provided.

"Oh my." Kyra said as she began taking off her helmet. "That's certainly a lot more than we had when I was here." She put her helmet on her hip and turned to her friend.

"Well hello there stranger!" Pacey exclaimed and took her in for a hug. "So how've you been? You've been gone for five years! Linds missed you!"

"I.." Kyra began, wondering what to tell the boy, "was visiting family."

"Right. Steve said you met your birth father."

"Yeah, that's where I've been. So what's new down here?" She walked up to the bar and took her favorite stool.

"Well, I officially work here now. Went to school for athletic training. I am _not_ a studier!"

"I can see that!" Kyra teased and punched his muscled bicep.

"Joey went into the Air Force. Sam Wilson helped him and all."

"I see my brother really impressed you two didn't he? What does Lindsay do, run with the avengers?"

"Haha. No, she goes to school for architecture. Really good with that, she is."

"Like how she helped make the student corner down at the bakery."

"Yeah, guess she too was inspired by Steve."

"You guys are too funny. Steve's three stooges."

"Yeah yeah. What about you, just visiting?"

"No, I'm around for a while. I'm thinking about medical school."

"Ooh! That's tough! You good with your sciences?"

"I don't know, but I did graduate high school when I was sixteen. How hard can brain science be? Wanna be my test subject?" She joked, playfully pushing at his head.

"I think I'll pass. I'll let you know when these high schoolers fry my brain up!"

"Let me know! When does Lindsay get out of school?"

Pacey checked his watch. "In... three hours? You can wait out here, not like you need my permission, _boss_."

"Boss! I like that. So who else works for me?"

"I'll give you a tour. Come on."

Kyra followed Pacey around the gym, awing at the improvements and getting to know her employees. Most of them were older than her, veterans of the military or the police force, but they were sociable. Pace ditched her for a client and Kyra went up to her old home. Nothing had changed much here, not counting the upgraded appliances. She went to her room and changed into a workout outfit, then headed back down.

She burned some miles on the treadmill then went for the bench press. Kyra imagined challenging her uncle to a weightlifting competition, already knowing she'd lose as his bicep muscles were twice the size of her thighs put together. She wasted two hours at the gym, busying herself with non magical physical exertion, then took the last hour to shower and get dressed to meet her best friend for the first time in five years.

Kyra walked across the block to the residential area and easily located her best friend's house. She avoided the front door since she didn't have the keys and took to climbing up to Lindsay's window, her always favorite mode of entry. As she sat perched on the windowsill, Kyra closed her eyes to reimagine all the times she'd been in her best friend's room, and was inside by the time her eyes opened.

The last time she was here Lindsay had been 16, so a lot had changed. The color scheme, though still the same, was definitely more subtle, and the boyband posters had been traded in for inspiring architectural shots. Kyra sat on Lindsay's bed, bouncing on the thick comforter. Scanning her hand on the bed, she felt an irregular bump by the pillows and pulled back the cover to reveal a teddy bear.

"Aw, she still has it." Kyra thought to herself as she held the bear. The best friends had made each other matching build a bears to commemorate some anniversary of their friendship. Kyra again closed her eyes and imagined holding her own bear, and it was in her hands before she opened her eyes again. Soon after, she heard the front door opening, and ran to hide in the closet before Lindsay could enter the room.

Lindsay dropped her bags on the floor and fell on the bed with a tired exhale.

"Oh hey, greenie!" Kyra heard her say. "How'd you get out from under there? You miss her too, huh? You're right, it's no fun without Kiera."

Kyra had to keep herself from bursting out right then, and waited for her best friend to open the closet.

"What am I going to wear tonight?" Lindsay wondered out loud and opened the closet. She rummaged through her clothes indecisively.

"Ooh, the red one's nice." Kyra whispered and Lindsay screamed to the heavens as she flew back to her bed.

Kyra laughed at her own antics as she crawled out of the closet, folding over in hysterics. Lindsay slid to the floor and smacked her best friend's arm before cradling her in a hug, her sobs turning into laughter.

"You're the worst!"

"I'm sorry!" Kyra managed to say as she hugged her back.

"When did you get back?" Lindsay asked as they peeled away.

"I tracked down Steve two days ago. You're the first person I'm meeting after my family."

"I'm honored." Lindsay cheekily said as she got up to sit properly on the bed. "Did you just meet the baby?"

"Yes! I am so mad Steve hid my own nephew from me! He's almost two!"

"Oh don't worry, we spoiled him on your behalf. So, what do you wanna do?"

"I don't know, wanna get some lunch and catch up?"

"Yes please! I'm starving! I'm gonna go change then we can go."

"Sure,"

Kyra waited for Lindsay as she changed into fresh clothes, and borrowed some of Lindsay's makeup for a quick touch up and then the two were ready to go.

"I didn't see a car up front."

"I walked over from the gym."

Lindsay pouted at her friend. "I don't wanna!"

Kyra wrapped her hands around Lindsay's arm and pouted back. "Lucky for you, I've got a trick up my sleeve."

Kyra winked and Lindsay held on as two the friends teleported to the alley behind the bakery. They hopped in to see Katie for a minute before heading out to the local pub and grill for a late lunch. They walked in busy in conversation, brushing aside the snark remarks from the regulars at the bar. Lindsay and Kyra slid into a booth far from the crowd, and much time and many non alcoholic drinks went by before the girls noticed the time.

Lindsay insisted on paying and despite her genetic ability of manipulation, Kyra had to give in. She soon found the opportunity to pay her back. The girls tried to play off as uninvolved as they walked by the bar to the front door, but one patron made the mistake of clapping Lindsay's butt. The man didn't even have the time to pull away his hand before Kyra grabbed his wrist, twisted in backwards, and slammed it into the edge of bar, definitely breaking it. She pulled out some change from her wallet and tossed it at the man, making a fake pout as she made a snide remark.

Lindsay enjoyed watching her best friend beat up the man and thanked her for doing something about it.

"I'd consider him schooled, don't you think?" Kyra winked.

"Oh absolutely! It's good to have you back, Kyra."

"It's good to be back."


	4. 3. Get Help

_"Is she ready?"_

_"What more could she need?"_

_"Her failure will be the death of us all."_

Kyra Rogers tossed and turned as she slept, trying to run away from these words, but they haunted her whether she was asleep or awake. She was burdened with a purpose she didn't even know, and suffocated under the implications of her failure.

Outside it was almost six in the morning, and Sharon Carter came up to start her day. She made her way to the kitchen, but as she passed by Kyra's room, she was pulled to check in when she heard crying. Agent Carter quietly opened the door to peak inside, and saw her sister-in-law crying as she slept. Her maternal concern kicked at her, but she only made a pitied face as she closed the door and went to the kitchen.

Sharon had already started making breakfast by the time her boyfriend came into the room.

"Mornin', doll." Steve Rogers said as he kissed her head from behind and began gathering ingredients for a health shake.

"Good morning. You might want a late start today, hon."

Steve finally stopped what he was doing and turned his focus to his girlfriend.

"Something wrong?" He took a quick look towards his sister's room as soon as the words left him.

"She was crying all night." Sharon told him as she nodded to the door.

Steve lowered his gaze in a confirming look.

"I thought the nightmares ended?"

Sharon Carter knew all there was to know about her new family since the past few years she'd been dating Steve Rogers, including Kyra's troubles with her past. She shrugged in response to Steve's question, unsure of what was bothering her sister-in-law.

"_New _nightmares?" She suggested.

"I'll check it out." Steve leaned off the counter and began to Kyra's room.

He knocked twice on the door, not too soft but not too loud.

"Morning, sleepy head." He called as he peaked his head in.

Kyra pulled the covers up, hiding her face from Steve.

"Did I sleep in?" She groaned.

Steve laughed to himself. His little sister was never a morning person.

"No, it's still early. I'm heading out for a run and I thought you could join me. We gotta talk."

Kyra groaned again. "I'll be out in a minute."

Steve nodded and closed the door before returning to the kitchen.

"We're gonna go for a run. You good with James?"

Sharon chidingly turned her head. "What? Am I not his mother?"

"No! It's just... I feel bad not helping." He corrected himself as he worked on his protein shake.

Sharon wrapped her hands around his waist and dug her chin in his shoulder.

"You're helping Kyra. She's our responsibility too."

Steve turned in her hold and kissed her, wrapping her in his arms.

"You don't have to..."

"I want to! Your little sister's _my _little sister. And no one's going to call you a bad dad for being a good big brother,"

Their conversation had moved on by the time Kyra came out dressed for a workout.

"Good morning!" Sharon greeted her and Kyra replied with a smile.

"When are we leaving?" She asked Steve as she stole a buttered toast from Sharon and a glass from Steve.

"Whenever's good for you." Steve answered before finishing his own drink in a couple sips.

"Let's go." Kyra was ready to go and Steve kissed his girlfriend goodbye.

He grabbed his car keys on their way out, but when they got outside, Kyra stopped him.

"Car's too long," she complained and grabbed Steve's arm to teleport instead.

They both expected to come out on Lincoln Park, but ended up back at their home park.

"Well, this isn't where I was going." Kyra complained.

"Hey, it still works. Warm up first?" Steve was much too energetic for her taste, especially this early in the morning.

Cap's movements were determined and quick, while his sister's were lethargic. Kyra waved him off as he went on his first run, but when he passed her again, Kyra was determined to leave him in the dust. They ran a competition for miles, chasing each other in the dawn breeze. But as the sun came up and the temperature warmed, Kyra slowed down, her ghosts catching up.

She leaned over her knees to catch her breath, but soon began choking on air and broke down crying.

"Hey, hey!" Steve cajoled as he straightened her up and pulled her into a hug.

Kyra cried out her frustrations pressed against his pillowy chest, his strong arms wrapped around her promising to keep the demons away.

She sniffled and pulled herself together as she stepped away, his hand on the small of her back.

"You good?"

"Yeah, thanks. I really needed that," she replied and walked over to a bench.

"Any time. Do you wanna talk?"

Kyra took a big breath and sat down. Steve followed.

"Uh! Just, family... communication gap."

"Dad troubles?"

"_Grand _dad troubles," she corrected him. "_God _I hate magic school."

"Well, you're on Earth now. You have medical school to think about."

"Speaking of, where are we with that?"

"I don't know. Why don't we give Tony a call right now?"

"So up for it!" She welcomed the distraction Tony would give.

Steve got out his smartphone and gave the billionaire a call, who picked up on the fifth ring.

"You've reached Tony Stark. Leave a message after the tone," he made his own beep sound.

"Hey, Tony! It's Steve."

"Cap! What's goin' on? How's my favorite tiny human?"

"We're doing good. James misses his uncle Tony."

"Criminal! That means we gotta get together soon! This a social call?"

"Not really. Listen, I have a friend here who's looking into science school. And I thought you might be a better person to reach out to. You got a minute?"

"For you? Anytime! I'm actually up in New York for the tower. You wanna meet up?"

"Sounds good. Call you when we get there."

"Alright, ciao. Love to little Anthony."

"Bye Tony." Steve said back and hung up.

"I bet you regret naming James after him now, huh?" Kyra teased.

"It was either _that_, or making him godfather. We went with the lesser evil. Cheered up?"

"Always!"

Steve got off the bench first.

"Alright, let's head home first, then we'll catch a ride to New York."


	5. 4. What's the Plan

James had already gone by the time Kyra and Steve popped back home, and Sharon was just about to leave. Kyra exchanged goodbyes with her before going to take a shower. After cleaning up, the siblings had a proper breakfast, and Steve called in to work to assign himself a mission in New York.

They took the bike to the nearest SHIELD garage to borrow a ride, and Kyra disguised herself as Sharon to bypass security. Steve took a quinjet without a pilot crew to avoid questions about Sharon possibly being at two places at once.

"You sure you know how to fly these things?" Kyra asked as she settled in.

"First things I learned."

"Good. 'Cause I don't wanna be stuck in the Arctic!" She teased him.

"Haha. Not gonna happen... again."

The quinjet landed on the building previously known as Stark Tower. The battle of New York had done a number on the skyscraper, and only the letter A was left standing, setting it up as the avengers HQ

"Welcome back, Captain Rogers." Jarvis greeted them as the siblings walked into the lounge.

"Hey Jarvis. Got my stealth suit ready? I am heading out for a mission."

"I'll set up in your quarters, captain."

"Great, send communication to widow. Tell her to meet me at the location."

"On it, sir."

Steve finally slowed down for Kyra.

"Look around, I'm sure Tony will be up soon."

And with that Steve jogged off to his rooms, leaving Kyra standing awkwardly in the living room.

"So... Jarvis."

"Miss Dawson,"

"Dawson?" Kyra was surprised. If anything, he should have greeted her as Rogers. "How do you know that?"

"Mr. Stark built me as an interface. I am connected to _THE_ Internet. I have access to all things available in every part of the Internet. You may ask me anything."

"What do you have on me?" Kyra asked as she flopped down on a couch.

A holographic screen popped up in her face, startling Kyra. It opened with the Stark logo, then transitioned into opening files for Kyra. There were literally files on her about everything. Her GED, her job at the gym and the bakery. It even connected her to Thor and Loki.

"_This_ is public information?" She asked, zooming in on the specific files.

"These are Mr. Stark's personal files. They were taken from SHIELD records. They've been tagged for controlled access. Kiera Dawson has been erased from all SHIELD databases at the captain's request."

Kyra got so emotionally invested in what Jarvis had said that she didn't notice someone else enter the room.

"Welcome back, sergeant."

Kyra jumped at the the new voice in the room and turned to see Ironman standing behind her.

"Mr Stark!" She jumped off her seat. "Now I have heard you're heartless, but this is too much. You're not really in there are you?"

The mask lifted and it's arms apologetically splayed.

"I'm a shell of a man. Lab," he said and the suit lead her to where Tony was working on other suits.

"Hey, welcome back kiddo!" Tony said over one of his projects.

"I'd say it's good to see you, but you don't look so good.

"That would happen after two days without sleep," Jarvis intervened and Tony scoffed.

"Seems like you could take a break! Join me for a drink?" She said, leaning on a counter, hoping the comment would finally make him look her way.

"No." He turned to her, pointing a screwdriver at her.

"Kids don't drink. Pepper keeps juice in the fridge upstairs. Help yourself," and he was back to work.

"I am 20 something, and I don't take no for an answer."

Kyra opened her palms towards the engineering room, freezing production with her powers.

Tony looked back at her with a _really _look and Kyra faked an innocent smile. The billionaire tossed the tool and came over.

"So what's new?" He asked, walking by her to the bar.

"Me," Kyra followed. "I go by Kyra now."

"Sweet. And what brings _Kyra_ back?"

"Just, you know getting on with my life. I've been thinking about going to school."

Tony finally got it.

"Oh so _you_ were the friend Stevie was talking about!" He realised, pointing at her with a chip, which Kyra stole.

"And what can a humble human help your alien majesty with?"

Kyra gave him a confused look, reading into his comment, but decided not to say anything. Instead, she got her own chip as Tony slid her a drink.

"I hear you have connections. I want to go to med school but I'm not taking eight years."

Tony managed to not choke on his chip as he laughed.

"A Rogers wants to go in to science."

Kyra tsked and playfully whacked him in the arm.

"We're not blood related. And this science is important to me. I wanna work in neurology and learn about brains."

"What is you Odinsons' obsession with brains?"

"Mine is scientific. My dad, and Barton and all those people, got mind controlled. Steve's brain still works after 70 years under ice. I wanna learn more about how it works, and if I can do anything to help."

"Good on you. So, not taking eight years, huh? We'll have to make our own course. Steal some classes. Got a school in mind?"

"Columbia University." Kyra announced, sipping her drink confidently.

"So, GED to... Columbia. That's a leap!" Tony tossed a chip in his mouth.

Kyra put down her drink and quickly swallowed her sip.

"Yes, but I'm a prodigy! Like _you!" _She flattered his ego to get him thinking her way.

"You understand my struggle, right? If anyone can help me, it's you! You're Tony Stark! You have money, you have influence. Pleeeeaasssee?!"

Tony mulled over her plea.

"I'll move in here! Like campus. You can help me with school. And I can help you with your suits!"

"Fair deal I'd say, mr. Stark."

"Suppose I could talk to the president." Tony whined.

"That would be Lee Bollinger, sir."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Kyra wrapped around his neck and forcefully kissed his cheek in extreme gratitude.

"Yeah, yeah" Tony gave in. "But my school, my rules."

"Sure thing, professor. So, wanna go on a flight?"

Kyra was already heading over to the window, but Tony began towards his work station.

"I... gotta work."

Kyra frowned.

"You've been working for 48 hours. Let's go out! Grab a bite! I could show you my new tricks?!"

"Production _is_ currently frozen." Jarvis pitched.

Tony snapped towards a screen.

"_Who's _A.I. _are _you?" He scolded.

"Yours, sir. You made me to assist you. It is my calculated recommendation that you might benefit from a little rest and relaxation."

"Come on...!! You wanna!" Kyra drawled as she opened the window.

The breeze came in and Tony made up his mind.

"Fine. Let's go." And with that, he took a running start out the window, plummeting towards the ground until a suit caught up to him.

Kyra watched in awe of her idol as Ironman zoomed back up to where she was still standing.

"You coming, or not?"

Kyra smiled and manipulated her gravitational force to fly out the window.

"Let's fly!"


	6. 5. The Man

Kyra and Tony spent the day feeding Ironman and discussing the school course for Kyra. After they had flown around the city, they settled at Harlem River Park, away from the crowds. Kyra gave him no chance to talk anything Ironman, busying him with literally any other topic of conversation. At the end of the evening, the two took a taxi all the way back to the tower, where Steve was waiting for them.

Tony and Kyra shared the plans with Steve over dinner. Steve didn't have a problem with Kyra moving out. He especially liked the idea of his loved ones taking care of each other. Kyra went home with Steve, but not before having Tony promise to speak with the Columbia university president the next day.

James was having bath time when Steve and Kyra came home. As the boy showed off his favorite toys to his aunt, Kyra animated them so they could play with him. She enjoyed the excitement on her nephew's face as his toys began swimming around and spitting water at him.

Thanks to her, it took James longer than usual to get out of the bath. In repayment for the trouble, Kyra offered to do James' night time routine with him. She put on his pajamas and read him a story, complete with animation.

When James was sound asleep, Kyra put him in his crib and went upstairs to join his parents in the living room.

"Thought he took you down with!" Sharon joked as Kyra sat next to her.

"Almost," she grabbed a piece of chex mix from from Sharon's bowl, "but I got a little left in me."

"So... Steve tells me you're moving out?"

"Mhmm! I've got a dorm on campus!" Kyra winked at Steve as he came from the kitchen with three drinks.

"Columbia University." Steve said as he sat on the other couch.

"Wow! That's serious medical school!"

"Yeah, I got connections."

"I can see that!"

"Hm. Tony's gonna talk to Bollinger tomorrow. Then he's gonna adapt the courses to keep up with me!"

"That's nice of him."

"Being busy about _me_ keeps him distracted from worrying about _him. _Hey, have _you guys _noticed something up with Tony?"

Sharon and Steve looked at each other.

"I think the superhero gig's getting to him," Sharon, the SHIELD profiler, said. "Not to mention, his psychological profile wasn't necessarily clean _before_."

"Yeah, but if anyone's got a plan to save the earth," Steve began as he reached for some chex, "it's Tony Stark. What _can't_ the man do?"

Sharon and Kyra shared a look before they burst out laughing.

"I think you chose the wrong _mate,_ mate!" Steve's girlfriend teased him.

"Hey! I'd go gay for Tony Stark if I were you." His sister saved him.

"Buut... he's taken." Sharon reminded the Starkheads.

Kyra sighed. "Ah... Pepper Potts. Luckiest woman in the world!"

"So, Tony's unavailable. Got a plan b in mind?"

"Uhh... I wish. Can't get nobody to date me on Asgard. What with me being pRiNcEsS or whatever. And down here... not many fish in the sea."

Steve laughed at her reference.

"Oh? What about your friend's brother?"

"Who? Lindsay? Nah. Pacey kissed me once. Didn't like it. Had a crush on Joey... he had a crush on Steve."

Sharon looked to her boyfriend as she realized what Kyra meant.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

"Soo... T.V?" Steve asked, with the remote already in his hand.

"Ooh! Love is blind?!"

"Tiger king!"

"Ooh! Tiger king."

* * *

While the Rogers sang praises of their favorite man) across the bridge In Manhattan, Tony Stark was having a rather unpleasant night. Having had a long, productive day out with Kyra, and working on some suits, Tony was tired. Taking a page out of the ''How to Human" handbook, he decided to try out the phenomena known as sleeping.

He shut down production, brushed his teeth, changed into pajamas, and got into bed. He laid awake on his pillow, fingers tapping as he wanted for the Sandman to visit. Sleep came, and he closed his eyes. But that was when the movie began. 

_Avengers: 2012. Loki. The sky opened. The aliens came. The missile. Pepper._

Pepper!

Tony instantly sat up with that thought, chest heaving, body covered in sweat. The world didn't matter to him as much as Pepper did. Pepper _was_ his world. He couldn't let anything happen to her. He padded down to the lab, deciding there was at least _some_thing he could perfect. Something that could protect Pepper better than he could. He entered the lab and clapped his hands on his way to the control center. 

"Wakey, wakey. Nap time's over." Tony began as he pulled up his holo schematics. "Let's get back on task."

Tony Stark spent the whole night working late. 


	7. 6. Weight

It was JARVIS who reminded Tony of his promise to Kyra. He started the coffee machine while Tony went to wake himself up with a cold shower. He put on a blazer over a t-shirt and black jeans; as if anyone was gonna say no to Tony stark over what he wore! He could be in his boxers and people would eat out of his palm. Tony skipped down to the garage, a car already waiting for him with a hot cup of coffee in the holder, and he drove off to Columbia.

The Rogers drove up to the Avengers Tower to drop Kyra off to college. They helped her set up her room to her preferences, a bed and desk already waiting for her. Since she couldn't get a room on the top floor, she'd instead got a walk out balcony. Afterwards, Kyra chased James as he waddled through the building; thankfully, the smart tower reacted quickly to a baby coming around stairs.

Tony came over in the evening, bringing everything he'd gotten from Columbia. They'd coughed over everything from the latest semesters. Basically, Kyra would be doing online school, but adapted to be more her speed. After dinner, with Steve gone home, Tony stayed up with Kyra, helping her set up an academic path that worked for her.

In the beginning, Kyra was just excited about finally starting school. Two weeks in, however, she realized the pace was too slow for her. Her classes all neatly wrapped up precisely at 4pm, refusing to continue further.

''Tony!" Kyra screamed.

She roughly snatched up the tablet and stomped down to the lab. She walked in on him lying in a pile of suit parts.

Dumm-e whirred, attracted by her entrance, but Tony shooed it back to its corner.

"What up, Icee?" Tony finally addressed her, without actually facing her as he went right back to work.

Kyra sighed and went around where she could be in front of him. She thrust the tablet in his face, tapping her nails on the screen.

"Make. It. Go,"she demanded.

Tony put a wrench in his teeth and swiped on the tablet's screen.

"Hm. Past four. Day's over. Sorry." He removed the tool from his mouth and put it to work.

"What does that mean?!" Kyra whined, even more frustrated.

"Means school's over for today. Go do other stuff."

"That's high coming from _you!" _shepicked and dropped a tool for effect.

"I... this studying... is for my benefit. I have a- well, actually- godly capacity and stamina to keep going for longer than your school runs."

"You know, neurological research proves giving yourself a break makes you function better in school."

Kyra went around the table to stand closer to him.

"Did you even listen to what you just said!" she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I think the weight you're carrying on your shoulders is blocking your ears."

Tony gave a slight chuckle at that.

Her pity for him grew and she raised her hand to his cheek. "You are punishing yourself. There is no benefit to you or anyone else you staying up for...."

"48 hours," JARVIS said.

''... 48 hours."

She fixed his hair and smiled warmly.

''Trust me, I am in AWE of your mind, but even the best computers in the world burn out when run too long."

Tony looked up at her almost sincerely before he faked a pout.

"School's not on till tomorrow," he said stubbornly, seeing through her efforts to butter him up.

Kyra laughed in defeat.

"I figured. But two can play _this_ game. I'm off school, you're out of the lab."

"No can-."

''And _maybe_, you can lend that big brain of yours to science!" she suggested excitedly, running a cold hand through his temple.

Tony scoffed a smile in her care.

They spent almost eight months coexisting. Tony was there for Kyra when she needed him, like when school got too much, or when her grandmother died. In turn, Kyra was there for him, giving him healthy exits for his anxiety, and even helping him build suits and stuff. She even helped his relationship struggles.

One night, Tony was sneaking down to his labs when he heard crying. There was only one other person in the tower at the moment and, giving that it wasn't him who was crying, it had to be her.

Tony cautiously went over and did a courtesy knock before he let himself in.

"Knock, knock," he joked as he walked in.

Kyra rolled back her desk chair to face him, wiping at her face.

"Bad dream?" He asked as he plopped on her bed.

"I wish. I failed," she sniffled as she rejectedly told him.

Tony sat up and coolly shrugged. He knew his share of failed tests, but now wasn't the time to share them.

"It's just one test. Not like you can't take it again."

"No!" Kyra defensively shouted as she stood, before realizing her mistake and calmed down. "What if, what if it was a life. What if it was a person's life, and I failed! I'd be the reason they're dead."

Tony looked at her as if he was looking through her. "Why do I get this isn't about neurology?"

Kyra sighed, throwing her hands up in exhaustion and sat down next to him.

"It's not."

"Talk to me," he said calmly. His tone didn't rush her, nor hold any expectation.

"My grandfather, my whole family, they think I'm some sort of _prophetic_ savior. The fate of the world rests with me, and I can't even pass a freaking magic class!"

"I get that. Not the, magic class part, but the feeling? Definitely." He patted the bed and stood up. 

"You know, I didn't make the suit suddenly all ready to go. I built it up. Piece by piece. Adjusting it along the way. I didn't have something on a last mission?" He spun and pointed at her as if it was a surprise quiz, "You can bet it's not gonna hold me back next time around. You don't start with saving the whole ass world. You start with one person. Then the next one, then so on. You know there's a saying? 'He who saves the life of one man, saves the world entire.'"

Kyra managed a small laugh. "Book?"

Tony gave her a look that said: _do I look like the reading guy?_

"Movie," he corrected her.

"Got a copy?"

Tony clapped his hands. "Jarvis, set up the theater room, Schindler's list."

"As you wish, boss."

"And you, I don't wanna see that face anymore. Save those tears for after the show."

Kyra laughed at his upbeat mood.

"As you wish, boss." She winked and got off the bed.

"I'll see you downstairs. Plain or butter?" He asked on his way out.

"Extra butter. And Twizzlers."

"On it. Hurry up, or I'm gonna start without you."

Continuing the tear fest, the movie night continued with The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. At one certain scene, in which the boy had run from home, Kyra made an agreeing comment, which worried Tony.

"Hey ColdStone, does your family know you're here?"

Kyra deliberately concentrated on the movie, tossing popcorn in her mouth as she ignored him. "Well if they didn't before, they do now."

Tony only huh-ed, before he continued watching the movie. Meanwhile, a whole other scene was playing in his mind. As Kyra slowly began falling asleep on him, Tony hoped the other Rogers was a bit more awake.

The next evening Kyra came out of her room for a snack, she noticed the place more decent looking than they usually had it.

"Are we expecting guests?" She asked Tony as she walked a juice bottle into his lab.

"Are they really guests if they're family?"

"No way! Jamie's coming over!?"

Tony smirked. "Yeah. You know, along with the other two who live with him."

The Rogers family arrived 30 minutes later, at 7:00pm sharp. After a while of family get together, Tony had to excuse to attend a call from Pepper, while the others took James to his play area in the tower.

Steve left his son to play with the toys as he joined Kyra on the nearby bench. He hunched over, hands clasped between his legs. Kyra knew something was about to come up, so she deliberately kept her attention on her nephew.

"Tony tells me you're stressed about meeting expectations."

"How am I supposed to save the world if I can't even pass class."

"Well, maybe you haven't had the right teacher," Sharon added, as she was sitting beside them.

"No?" Kyra turned to her, now focused on the conversation. "My dad, my grandma, Heimdall. They've all been working on me. And I failed."

"If I've learned anything about you, it's that you aren't a traditional student. And well, Asgard seems to be as old as Norse mythology. So maybe Sharon's right, you just haven't found the right teacher yet!"

Kyra gave him a pursed smile and patted his shoulder.

"Thanks for the pep talk, bro. I'm gonna go show some tricks to James. All I'm good for right now."

Steve sighed as he watched his sister literally run away from the conversation.

"I am _so_ out of my element here. Magic is most definitely Loki's thing."

Sharon scooted closer, putting a hand on shoulder.

"And they're not getting along so well right now. They don't know her like you do. You've been there longer for her."

"That's not his fault!" Steve felt weird defending the guy who once tried to take over the planet, but this was a different situation.

Sharon tutted. "I'm not saying it is! I'm saying, you have more right to raise her. And if we are going to be... co-parenting her, we all need to be on the same page."

She nodded towards their son. "Just like you and I know what we expect of James, it's important that you know what they want for Kyra, and for them to know what you bring to the table."

"So what do you want me to do? Go up the to ancient gods and say 'hey, we need to get this right?'"

"Exactly. They're ancient. And they need to be brought up to date."

"I can't do that right now,"

"That's fine. Right now, _she_ needs support. Needs her brother. If she is supposed to save the world, she's gonna need to rely on more than just magic. Take her on your next mission," Sharon suggested, despite knowing Kyra's history with the group.

"She doesn't like SHIELD. And I don't want her with them."

"This isn't _about _SHIELD. This is about her watching you, seeing how you take on the weight of the world on your shoulders. She's gonna need what you got."

Steve pursed his lips in understanding, nodding as he made some plans. This was going to be some heavy work.


	8. 7. Fieldwork

As the quinjet hovered over the Indian Ocean, STRIKE leader Rumlow briefed his team on the situation on the waters below.

"Target's a mobile satellite launch platform, the _Lemurian Star._" He pointed to the image on the touch screen.

"They were sending up their last payload when pirates overtook them, ninety-three minutes ago,"

"Any demands?" Kyra -agent zero- asked.

Rumlow looked at her with a quizzical look and turned to Cap.

"Who _is _this?"

"Approved for mission," Cap replied with minimal detail. "Answer the question."

Rumlow was unconvinced but chose not to question Captain America.

"Billion and a half."

"Why so steep?"

"Because it's SHIELD's," Agent Romanoff answered.

That changed things.

"So it's _not _off course," Steve said. "It's trespassing."

Kyra felt proud making her brother question the company he worked for.

"I'm sure they have a good reason," Nat offered.

"You know," Steve began playfully, "I'm getting a little tired of being Fury's janitor."

"Relax! It's not that complicated."

"How many pirates?" Kyra asked Rumlow and Steve and Nat looked over.

"Twenty-five," Rumlow pulled up a dossier on screen. "Lead by this guy," he focused on the face in the middle of the lineup.

"Georges Batroc. Ex-DGSE.," Nat came to the screen.

"Right. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had 36 kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

Steve looked over to his little sister.

"Hostages?"

"Mostly techs. One officer: Jasper Sitwell."

Steve made a face as Rumlow pulled up his picture.

"What's the face?" Kyra whispered to him.

"I know Sitwell. He's not a field agent. So what's he doing on that ship?"

Steve went up to the screen and scrolled through the techs of the ship, viewing the galleys and rooms as he formed a plan.

"All right, team!" Cap began, gathering everyone's attention.

"I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat and O, you kill the engines and wait for instructions." He looked to Rumlow.

Kyra looked to Nat, who gave her a raised brow as if proving how awesome Captain America was.

"Rumlow, you sweep aft, find the hostages, get them to the life-pods, get them out. Let's move,"

"STRIKE, you heard The Cap," Rumlow ordered as he put in his ear comms. "Gear up."

"Secure channel seven," Natasha said into her wrist mic, testing frequency.

"Seven secure," Steve and Kyra echoed.

"So, did you do anything fun Saturday night?" Kyra asked Nat as they prepped.

"Well, all the _other _ballerinas from my company are dead. So, no, not really."

Steve cocked a smile at her response.

"Comin' up on the drop zone, Cap," Rumlow's voice interrupted.

"You know, if you ask agent Ryan from F.A out, he'd probably say yes."

Lately, he'd started a campaign to get Nat to get out more. Or at all.

Nat smirked and approached Cap as the rear ramp opened up.

"That's why I don't ask,"

"Too shy, or too scared?" Steve teased, knowing Nat was _neither _of those things. _Ever_.

"Too busy!" She yelled over the air, and pushed Cap out the plane.

STRIKE agents ran up behind her frantically, watching Captain America free fall towards the ship.

"Was he wearing a parachute?" Rollins- Rumlow's second in command- asked.

"No," Nat replied with a cunning smirk. "No he wasn't." And she jumped, leading Kyra behind her.

❄️🕷❄️🕷❄️

The First Avenger surfaced from the icy water, climbed the ship's hull and vaulted the railing, landing softly behind an unsuspecting mercenary. He soundlessly choked the first, then went counterclockwise around the deck, taking out mercenaries as he found them. One merc had him at the business end of an automatic rifle, another one coming up around. Before either of them could pull a trigger, they both fell one after the other as the STRIKE team finally took their time coming down.

"Thanks," Cap said.

"Yeah," Rumlow grinned. "You seemed pretty helpless without me."

With the team on the ship now, Steve got to the the lower level of the ship's bridge tower and shot a microphone disk up to the bridge window.

"I don't like waiting," one mercenary complained in French.

"Call Durand," another voice ordered. "I want this ship ready to move when the ransom comes."

"Start the engines," Steve heard another say, followed by the hanging of a phone receiver.

Another mercenary picked up the phone in the engine room.

"Starting engines," he confirmed and hung up the phone before turning around to find two women leaning against the staircase, smiling at him.

"Hey, sailor."

Widow made the first move, using the merc as dead weight to swing herself below deck, guns firing on her way down. Agent O phased through the floors, using an array of magical skills to take out the pirates in her way. With Kyra focused on the mercs and making her way to the engine room, Widow snuck out to where she needed to be.

"STRIKE in position," Rumlow's voice came in her ear.

"O, status." Cap asked over the comms, but no reply.

"Agent O, Romanoff. Check in!" Steve demanded.

"Hang. On!" Nat's voice came with a struggle.

"We're. A little. Busy!" Agent O replied.

Putting down her last opponent, Kyra finally got to the task assigned.

"Engine room secure," she informed Steve, her voice not conveying her confusion of being alone.

Exhausted, Agent O took the human route back up, heading towards the rendezvous point. Rumlow was still standing on deck with Sitwell, the rest of the hostages getting on the life pods.

"Hostages en route to extraction," Rumlow told them. "Romanoff missed the rendezvous point."

Agent O snuck up behind a pirate making his way towards the hostages. Rumlow had his weapon ready, but O knocked the pirate out, sitting over his lifeless body.

"Hostiles still in play," she informed Steve, as if he was controlling the practice module.

"Who are you supposed to be again?" Rumlow asked her, without Cap present to defend her.

Kyra swung off the body and stood up, walking past Rumlow to help the techs.

"SHIELD," she replied blatantly. "You?"

"STRIKE," he forwarded his shoulder, revealing the insignia. "Part of being upper level is knowing everyone below. I don't know you."

"You don't have to. Your mission is to extract the hostages. Is that too hard for you?" She moved aside with her arms crossed, giving way for him to get on the life pod.

"You're level O, I'm 6. Watch your tone," his finger was just inches from her nose. "We're waiting for Cap."

Kyra smirked. "That's not your job," she swept her leg out, making the STRIKE leader fall into the pod. She hit the dislodge button before Rumlow could even stand, dropping the life pods down into the ocean.

"Who's below _now, _asshole," Kyra waved at him with a big smirk before turning on her heel to find her brother.

She saw him fighting the Big Merc, and turned invisible as she followed them to the computer room. Steve wasn't the only one there, not counting the knocked out Batroc.

"What are you doing?"

"Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into."

"Rumlow needed your help. What are you doing here?"

Kyra followed Steve around to the screen side.

"You're saving SHIELD intel."

"Whatever I can get my hands on."

Kyra saw Cap's jaw tense. "Our mission was to rescue hostages."

"No, that's your mission, and you've done it beautifully." Nat finished the download and popped a USB drive out of its socket.

As the two Avengers were arguing, Kyra noticed motion in the corner of the room. They all looked up to see Batroc throw a grenade at them while he ran out the door. Steve grabbed Nat and Kyra jumped after, waving the grenade back to the computer room as she landed after them. She groaned as her arm snapped and her spell broke. Steve pulled her closer to the wall they were hiding behind as smoke and fire billowed over their heads.

"Okay," Natasha heaved while the smoke started to clear. "That one's on me."

"No shit," Kyra replied as she shared a looked with Steve.

Whatever respect her brother had for SHIELD was now clearly gone up in smoke.


	9. 8. Place for Good Men

"You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?" Steve angrily strode into Fury's office at the Triskelion.

"I didn't lie," Fury responded from the window, not spinning his chair around for the Captain. "Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours."

"Which you didn't feel obliged to share."

"I'm not _obliged_ to share anything," Fury finally faced Cap.

Kyra silently oohed at that burn. She was still shadowing her brother, this time quite literally. She doubted even Steve remembered she was there.

"Soldiers _trust_ each other. That's what makes it an army. Not a bunch of guys running around shooting guns."

"Last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye."

Kyra pffted at that.

"You're wrong about me."

Kyra paid attention, it was almost as if Mr. Super spy was responding to her thoughts.

"I do share. I'm nice like that."

She followed Steve as he followed Fury towards the elevator.

"Insight Bay," Fury ordered as he got in. The screen glitched a few seconds, none of them paying attention as they were positioning themselves in.

"Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight," the computer told them.

_Oop. The Captain America didn't have access to everything? How rude!_

"Director override. Fury, Nicholas J."

"Confirmed."

The old men shared stories of old elevators and Kyra could only roll her eyes, stuck with them. Funnily enough, she was older than both of them. Or Fury, at least.

"He'd show them," Fury was continuing his story. "...ones and a loaded 22 magnum. Yeah, grandad loved people, but he didn't trust them very much."

_No birth certificate needed._

They rode down into an underground town; Steve had to take a double take inside the glass elevator. It was a hangar, big enough to have its own roads, on which trucks and cargo carts carried materials. The centerpiece of it all were three giant helicarriers, each big enough to carry more than ten fighter planes each.

Kyra had seen big stuff in all the realms, but for Midgard, this was passing excessive. They all had rows of turrets on hull sides and along the flight decks, which were loaded with rows of Quinjets. Their bottoms were lined with gun turrets.

"Launched from the Lemurian Star," Kyra caught the end of Steve's reply as she almost walked in to him.

"Once we get them in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight... courtesy of our new repulsor engines."

Of course Tony was involved. These were the biggest toys on the planet, to tinker with. Steve on the other hand didn't find them playful.

"...We're gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen."

Kyra stopped. They were trying to play God, and this was an observation coming from an Asgardian. These things never ended well.

"Thought the punishment usually came _after _the crime," Steve replied. Kyra could see Steve's jaw stiffen. He didn't approve of this either. How could he? It was immoral. And Steve was a good man.

"...For once we're ahead of the curve." Fury defended himself in all seriousness.

"By holding a gun to everyone on Earth and calling it protection."

Damn it, why did that ring a bell she didn't want to hear. Steve was talking about Fury and SHIELD, and Kyra hated Fury and SHIELD, but her mind instantly went to Tony. She loved Tony. He was her idol. Her best friend.

"This isn't freedom. This is fear!" Steve Rogers was facing the man who currently basically held the world in his hands, backed by technical war beasts, but he held his ground against them all.

"SHIELD takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be! It's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap."

Steve turned on his heel and walked away.

"Don't hold your breath."

* * *

"I wouldn't hold your breath," Mr. Bollinger was telling Tony. "Let's be realistic here, Mr. Stark. The circumstances in her situation are different. Ms. Dawson just did 8 years of medical school in almost 8 months. I am in no way judging how she was able to do so, but we can't trust that it wasn't just the benefit of a photographic memory."

"You trying to tell me you don't think prodigies exist?" asked Tony Stark, the world's most renowned prodigy.

"I- I absolutely disagree. After all, I am talking to you. But my decision still stands. We gotta hold her to higher standards," the president closed the file on his desk. "She gets her fellowship, we'll sign her degree."

"And how is she supposed to get to intern without a degree?"

"You can consider it her clinical. After all, you are Tony Stark. I'm sure you have connections."

Tony sighed as the president of Columbia shifted, recognizing himself as one of said connections.

"Y'know..." Bollinger continued at the last second. "I know of someone _just _like her. Finished school in a snap. He's also a neuro- if he can take Ms. Dawson in..."

Tony snapped at that.

"Nope. Don't need him. We'll get someone else, bye." He swiped the holocall into the garbage and returned to work.

* * *

The three doctors watched the surgeon talk to the patient's family. It had been a devastating case; it required someone who could empathize. Be gentle. This man was not it.

As expected, the mother broke into tears. But upon closer hearing, the woman and the rest of her family, were thanking and blessing the man. The three doctors stared at each other jaw dropped. This could not have been the same man. They confronted him when he came back their way.

"Doctor, how the hell did you manage that?" The first said as he chased after the especially tall man.

"I mean, you have got to have the worst bedside manner in all of Manhattan. What did you say to them?"

"Well that's an easy deduction, Dr. Wilson," Dr. Strange stopped at his destination. "_I _am a good man." And he slammed the door in their face. 


End file.
